So trivial, yet it really ticks you off.

[LizzieMaine]

I have a number of actual Nabisco cookie boxes from the Era, and they bear no resemblance to the modern model. Generally speaking the cookies were sold in long, thin cardboard boxes, about eight inches long by two and a half inches square. The boxes were similar for each style of cookie, with the type differentiated only by the wax paper wrapper on the box. One long side of the box folded up to provide a reclosable lid, and there was a wax paper "In-Er-Seal" lining inside to keep them fresh in the store.

It wasn't until after the war that they went first to a cellophane-covered cardboard tray and then in the mid-1950s to the cellophane bag familiar to Boomers.

Before the war, you could also buy any Nabisco/"Uneeda Bakers" product loose from bulk bins. These were shipped to the store in heavy waxed cardboard containers with one removable end. A glass-covered cover would be fitted over the end of the carton and the whole thing would be displayed end-front in a rack fixture.

 

[Fading Fast]

⇧ knew about the wax sleeves in boxes, but the "bulk" bins are news to me. Makes sense and kinda echoes how Coke movies from fountain to bottle - did the cookies move from bulk to individual package or were they launched simultaneously (or did bulk follow - doubt that)?

 

[LizzieMaine]

The first "packaged" product sold by Nabisco was the Uneeda Biscuit in 1898, and it revolutionized the cookie and cracker business -- not only did the "In-Er-Seal" arrangement keep the crackers fresh longer, the sealed, reasonably tamper-proof box was considered much more sanitary than the old fashioned "cracker barrel." The lidded glass covers were considered a step up from the open barrel as well, and I suspect that they lasted as long as they did as a sop to old-timers who wanted to see what they bought before they bought it.

Amazingly, you can *still* buy bulk cartons of loose cookies from Nabisco/Kraft, but I doubt anybody still uses the old Uneeda Bakers bins to display and sell them.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Yes. The packaging now includes a plastic tray that holds the cookies in two rows, and in the process occupies space that used to be occupied by more cookies. The package itself is not much more than a plastic envelope with a "resealable" top that rarely, if ever, actually reseals well enough to provide an air-tight seal to keep the cookies fresh if you don't finish eating them within a few days. That being said, this is pretty much how nearly all cookies are packaged these days unless you buy them in bulk at one of the "big box" stores.

Which segues into modern packaging in general which is often hard to open without scissors or a knife. Even plastic wrap is hard to open nowadays.

The first "packaged" product sold by Nabisco was the Uneeda Biscuit in 1898, and it revolutionized the cookie and cracker business -- not only did the "In-Er-Seal" arrangement keep the crackers fresh longer, the sealed, reasonably tamper-proof box was considered much more sanitary than the old fashioned "cracker barrel." The lidded glass covers were considered a step up from the open barrel as well, and I suspect that they lasted as long as they did as a sop to old-timers who wanted to see what they bought before they bought it.

Amazingly, you can *still* buy bulk cartons of loose cookies from Nabisco/Kraft, but I doubt anybody still uses the old Uneeda Bakers bins to display and sell them.

Nothing like synchronicity!
My every day carry knife at present.

 

[Fading Fast]

The first "packaged" product sold by Nabisco was the Uneeda Biscuit in 1898, and it revolutionized the cookie and cracker business -- not only did the "In-Er-Seal" arrangement keep the crackers fresh longer, the sealed, reasonably tamper-proof box was considered much more sanitary than the old fashioned "cracker barrel." The lidded glass covers were considered a step up from the open barrel as well, and I suspect that they lasted as long as they did as a sop to old-timers who wanted to see what they bought before they bought it.

Amazingly, you can *still* buy bulk cartons of loose cookies from Nabisco/Kraft, but I doubt anybody still uses the old Uneeda Bakers bins to display and sell them.

Whom do you think buys them? I've been at many large corporate functions and they now all have these "not for sale individually" packages of Oreos, Lorna Doones, etc. I've never seen a branded bin cookie, but have seen generic bin cookies that are copies of the branded ones?

 

[LizzieMaine]

Hard plastic "blister packs," such as contain audio cables or electronic components fill me with a blind rage that's truly terrifying. I expect one day they'll find me cold and still from a popped aneurysm, a half-opened package containing a 9 foot XLR extension cable in my hand.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Whom do you think buys them? I've been at many large corporate functions and they now all have these "not for sale individually" packages of Oreos, Lorna Doones, etc. I've never seen a branded bin cookie, but have seen generic bin cookies that are copies of the branded ones?

My first thought might be caterers, but I've never been to a catered event where they passed around plates of Fig Newtons. Not that I am not now filled with a desire to host such an event.

 

[Fading Fast]

My first thought might be caterers, but I've never been to a catered event where they passed around plates of Fig Newtons. Not that I am not now filled with a desire to host such an event.

That was my thought, too, but I've been at many corporate events, some charity events and weddings, etc., from the "low" to the "high" end and have only ever seen the "not for sale individually" packages of Oreos, Lorna Doones, etc.

Hard plastic "blister packs," such as contain audio cables or electronic components fill me with a blind rage that's truly terrifying. I expect one day they'll find me cold and still from a popped aneurysm, a half-opened package containing a 9 foot XLR extension cable in my hand.

Yes, yes and yes - and when our nephews were young, many a Christmas morning was spent nearly severing a finger trying to get toys entombed in those packages opened with an exuberant kid tugging at your sleeve.

 

[ChiTownScion]

The first "packaged" product sold by Nabisco was the Uneeda Biscuit in 1898, and it revolutionized the cookie and cracker business -- not only did the "In-Er-Seal" arrangement keep the crackers fresh longer, the sealed, reasonably tamper-proof box was considered much more sanitary than the old fashioned "cracker barrel." The lidded glass covers were considered a step up from the open barrel as well, and I suspect that they lasted as long as they did as a sop to old-timers who wanted to see what they bought before they bought it.

Amazingly, you can *still* buy bulk cartons of loose cookies from Nabisco/Kraft, but I doubt anybody still uses the old Uneeda Bakers bins to display and sell them.

SALES MAN 3:
Why, it's the U-needa biscuit
Made the trouble
U-needa, U-needa,
Put the crackers in a package, in a package,
The U-needa biscuit
In an air-tight sanitary package
Made the cracker barrel obsolete, obsolete!

CHARLIE:
Obsolete, obsolete, obsolete

SALESMAN 4:
Cracker barrel went out the window
with the Mail Pouch cut plug chawin' by the stove
Changed the approach of a travelin' salesman
Made it pretty hard.

CHARLIE:
No it didn't,
but ya gotta know the territory.

SALES MAN 3:
Gone, Gone!

SALES MAN 1:
Gone with the hogshead, cask and demijohn. Gone with the sugar barrel, pickle barrel, milk pan,
gone with the tub and the pail and the till.


From, "Rock Island," Music Man.

 

[2jakes]

Wall Of One-Hundred-Thousand Placements Of Used Chewing Gum....

 

[totallyfrozen]

I find this thread quite amusing. Makes me chuckle a lot. I read so many posts about things that drive people nuts and the funniest part is how many of those things don't actually have any affect on the person fussing about them. Like complaints about someone else's lifestyle choices with things like hobbies.
I don't let things tick me off that don't actually touch my life. If someone wants to wear something or have some kind of look or ride a certain kind of vehicle, etc. what is that to me? Nah, I don't waste any energy letting it bug me. But it's entertaining to see all of those reactions on here. So the thread is fun.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Zombie_61]

Oreo does that same stupid "resealable" top that is in some crazy oval shape that (1) makes it hard to get to the cookies not under the actual oval itself and (2) (as you noted) doesn't consistent make an airtight seal so they either go stale or you have to seal the "sealed" package in a ziplock bag (which is what we do). Why can't they just make the cookie package a ziplock as some companies do for some products as that seal actually works.

I don't disagree, but would add the provision that the companies that make those "ziplock" bags do more quality control. We buy a particular brand of treats for our cat that come in a plastic ziplock-type plastic pouch, and at least one out of every ten bags is completely useless as far as resealing is concerned because the two halves of the plastic "lock" don't line up.

 

[LizzieMaine]

And then there's the pouches of cheese with the convenient resealable ziplock whatsit, except when you try to tear open the pouch for the first time, the plastic rips away right to the edge of the seal, and you can't get it open without hacking it apart with scissors and the whole bag rips and cheese falls all over the floor and you throw it at the kitchen wall with a sulphurous scream of rage and the cat is frightened and hides under the bed for the next six hours. Yes, exactly like that.

 

[Fading Fast]

I don't disagree, but would add the provision that the companies that make those "ziplock" bags do more quality control. We buy a particular brand of treats for our cat that come in a plastic ziplock-type plastic pouch, and at least one out of every ten bags is completely useless as far as resealing is concerned because the two halves of the plastic "lock" don't line up.

And then there's the pouches of cheese with the convenient resealable ziplock whatsit, except when you try to tear open the pouch for the first time, the plastic rips away right to the edge of the seal, and you can't get it open without hacking it apart with scissors and the whole bag rips and cheese falls all over the floor and you throw it at the kitchen wall with a sulphurous scream of rage and the cat is frightened and hides under the bed for the next six hours. Yes, exactly like that.

Agreed, the ziplock is only useful if it works well and I've had both of the experiences you guys note. One of the best version of a good reseal ziplock is Smashmallow's package for its marshmallows. It is easy to open the first time (clear tear line at the top [see below] that tears as designed and leaves the reseal ziplock untouched) and the ziplock works very well. Also, they make a darn fine marshmallow.

 

[Trenchfriend]

And then there's the pouches of cheese with the convenient resealable ziplock whatsit, except when you try to tear open the pouch for the first time, the plastic rips away right to the edge of the seal, and you can't get it open without hacking it apart with scissors and the whole bag rips and cheese falls all over the floor and you throw it at the kitchen wall with a sulphurous scream of rage and the cat is frightened and hides under the bed for the next six hours. Yes, exactly like that.

Do you mean this resealable stuff? I never saw such sachets, before.

 

[Frunobulax]

View attachment 80274

Wall Of One-Hundred-Thousand Placements Of Used Chewing Gum....

I have eaten there, and will again!


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[2jakes]

I have eaten there, and will again!

When it's "made right",
I'd probably go back again too!

 

[Trenchfriend]

Taco-Burger? Sounds good!

 

[LizzieMaine]

Do you mean this resealable stuff? I never saw such sachets, before.

Yep, that's the stuff. A lot of shredded cheese is sold that way in the US now, and I've rarely found it to be helpful. Usually I only buy enough cheese for what I'm making at the moment and I don't have any left over to store anyway, so the zip-top is unnecessary. And on the rare occasions when it is, it rarely works properly.

The alternative is to buy a block of cheese and grate it as needed, but I can't have blocks of cheese in the house because I'll eat them all at once and the consequences are usually unpleasant.

 

[LizzieMaine]

If you want to make a "Maid Rite" at home, get some canned chicken broth and add it to the scrambled meat as it's cooking. That's the secret ingredient. And if you don't want it to fall all over yourself while you're eating it, use a soft New England style bulkie roll (*not* a hard New York kaiser roll) instead of a hamburger bun, and only slice it a third of the way. Push open a space inside the bun and spoon the meat inside. It'll hold together long enough for you to eat the thing without need for a pan in your lap to catch the drippings.